The 4G and 5G tower is slated for construction at 490 Verney Rd, near Goulburn Valley Grammar School and Grammar Park.
Local homeowner Mimi Leung said the neighbourhood was concerned about the visual impact it might have on the Radio Australia site that sits on the same block.
“The proposed tower will be situated right next to Radio Australia, a large shortwave broadcast base, which operated between 1944 and 2017 and played a significant role in broadcasting information overseas during World War II,” Ms Leung said.
“The positioning of the proposed tower presents a major barrier to any future development of a cultural and historical centre.
“It will obstruct the development of creative, cultural projects driven by the hard work, expertise and dedication of our local communities in favour of billion-dollar companies who have not considered the importance of this history and connection people have with it.”
Other concerns shared among the 10 or so neighbours that reached out to The News included health and radiation exposure, which they would have “constant exposure to”, they said.
They were sceptical of the safety of the radiation and said they felt more information should have been supplied to them before the plan was submitted to council.
Amplitel, a branch of the Telstra Group, said the goal for the tower was to meet the demand for data on its mobile network.
The Victorian Government had selected the Grahamvale location to receive a mobile base station, and it was Telstra’s job to provide a site that met its criteria for coverage and connectivity, Amplitel said.
Amplitel acknowledged that some people could have concerns about the potential health impacts of electromagnetic energy emitted from telecommunications infrastructure.
However, the company assured the public that expert bodies such as the World Health Organization were confident in the safety of the towers.
“Over recent weeks, we have sought community feedback from residents in the local area … any responses we receive we will respond back directly to the residents to address their questions,” Telstra regional general manager for Victoria Jenny Gray said.
“Besides our technical experts, Telstra and other mobile providers rely on the expert advice of international and national health authorities, including the World Health Organization and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency, for overall assessments of health and safety impacts.
“We know that the EME output from all of our base stations is well below maximum public safety standard levels, and we have communicated this to nearby residents.”
In terms of a site location, Ms Gray said the Victorian Government determined the broad area for new coverage.
At the same time, Telstra worked to find a place that met technical requirements for coverage and was also suitable for a base station to be built there.
“Our preferred site would be located at least 350 metres away from the historic communications towers, so should have a minimal visual impact,” she said.
In reference to the potential visual impact of the telecommunication tower, a council spokesperson said that the residents’ concerns would be taken under advisement.
“Council officers are currently undertaking their technical assessments and will provide a response in due course,” a council spokesperson said.
“Visibility of the tower is something council officers will consider during their assessment of the application.”
